The “P” Word:
Preventing, Detecting, and
Responding to Plagiarism
Psychology Faculty Council
April 17, 2007
Danielle C. Istl
Academic Integrity Officer
www.uwindsor.ca/aio
Overview
 Introduction

Why more plagiarism?
 Prevention




Early intervention
Plagiarism Prevention Workshop
Assignment Design: strategies & suggestions
Using Turnitin as an educational tool

Detection
 Methods
 Using Turnitin.com
 Response
 The Professor
 Path of a Complaint
 Filing a Complaint

Plagiarism in Graduate School
Why more plagiarism?
From David Callahan, The Cheating Culture
 The “Winning Class” and the “Anxious
Class”
 Warped notions of right and wrong
 Economic pressures
 Deteriorating values
 Anxiety, insecurity, desperation

Mindset
 It’s a competitive world.
 Others are doing it, so
you have to do it too to
stay in the game.
 It’s okay, as long as
you don’t get caught.
2005-06
2004-05
88 complaints
61 complaints
(62.4% of all
complaints)
(52.6% of all
complaints
Admonitions
35
22
Censures
50
35
1
1
2
3
Plagiarism
(includes transcript notation)
Suspension
(includes transcript notation)
Other
(insufficient evidence,
stayed, or withdrawn)
My Experience
 Ignorance
 Haste
/ time management issues
 Language barriers
 Cultural barriers
 Ease with which material available on web
 Students don’t realize the seriousness
PREVENTION
Dedicate Class Time:
Items to Discuss with
Students

Approaches to research and writing


What constitutes plagiarism


Consider a visit from a librarian
Quoting vs. paraphrasing vs. common knowledge
Citation


Why outside sources strengthen their work
Proper citation format
Other Suggestions
 Set




forth your expectations
What constitutes common knowledge in your
discipline
The extent to which students can share
information
Citation style guide to be used
How to resolve “What if . . . ?” issues
 Examine
past student pieces in class.
 Discuss website evaluation:



Credibility (nature of the site, author)
Content (accuracy, coverage)
Currency
 Have
tests incorporate mastery of work
done on assignments.

Review expectations of
writing in the particular
discipline.
 Consider informal,
ungraded writing
exercises. Benefits:


1. Students write.
2. You become aware of
individual students’
writing capability.
The Dreaded Paper Mills
 Let
students know you know about them.
 Visit a site and analyze a weak paper.
 Discuss the pitfalls.



Quality
Cost
Detection using Turnitin.com
Examples
 Coastal
Carolina University: Extensive List
 Internet Paper Mills
 Real Papers.com
 School Sucks Term Paper Assistance
 APlus College Essays
 SwapTermPapers.com
Plagiarism Workshop
for Students

What is plagiarism?
 What is citation?



Identifying sources in the body of the paper
Citing sources (use of RefWorks); Manuals
Quoting material
 Plagiarism prevention techniques
 AIO “Top Ten” List
 AIO Website: Info for Faculty => Helpful Links
Applying the Rules
 Academic
Writing Centre handouts:
E.g., Avoiding Plagiarism
 Design your own exercises for students.
 Consider exercises relating to the material
being studied.

E.g. Exercise: Should You Cite?
The Assignment Itself:
Suggested Strategies*

Change the assignments year to year or course
to course.


Topics
Format

Choose to give unique assignments (in lieu of
reports and essays).
 Provide information about where to begin
legitimate research.
* See Separate “Sources” page.
 Consider
narrow topics.
 Work with students to develop their own
topic.
 Consider an early due date.
 Provide students with a “time-line.”
 Monitor the time-line if possible/desirable.
Process and Product
 Require
submission of work throughout
the term if possible


At regular intervals
At regular stages of development
 Advantages:



Helps prevent plagiarism
Improves ability to detect plagiarism
Sets the stage for student success
Have students:
 Address
specific questions.
 Incorporate class discussions or class
readings.
 Limit the number or types of sources.
 Use very current sources.
 Prepare an in-class written commentary
on the due date.
contd.

Submit 1+ photocopied page(s) from each
source
 Submit a “research journal” or annotated
bibliography
 Participate in one-on-one office conferences




Bring and discuss research
Report on progress
Come with prepared questions
Seek guidance
Sample Assignments*

Adopt a persona: write a diary.
 Write an editorial piece.
 Prepare an annotated bibliography.
 Compare journal articles.
(*Dalhousie University, Faculty Resources)
 Write
a critical review.
 Compose an examination.
 Plan itinerary for an off-campus study trip.
 Prepare for a job interview by researching
the company/organization.
 Prepare
questions for a news
conference (e.g, of an historical
figure).
 Participate in peer review.
 Research a career.
 Compare articles on a subject with
the text.
 Interview
a family member about [fill in the
blank]; add research of time period.
 Research an individual and draft interview
questions.
 Write a letter to a sick friend telling him
what he missed in class.
Using Turnitin as an
Educational Tool

Under “Assignment Options,” set up assignment
so that students can:




submit their own work;
review their own originality report;
make corrections and re-submit.
Advantages:



Reduces fear and raises awareness
Educates as to what may constitute plagiarism
Encourages more careful writing and citation
Raising Awareness
 Statement
on Academic Honesty
 A.I. / Plagiarism Online Tutorials






http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity/
http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/
http://www.academicintegrity.uoguelph.ca/
http://www.library.ucla.edu/bruinsuccess/
http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/douglass/sal/
plagiarism/intro.html
See AIO website (Info for Students link).
Other Things to Mention
 University
Plagiarism Policy
 Senate Bylaw 31
 Student Code of Conduct
 Academic Assessment vs.
Disciplinary Consequences
 Copyright law
Academic Assessment

Grade for assignment reduced based on
severity and extent of the plagiarism
 Maximum academic assessment for the
assignment: zero
This is separate from
disciplinary measures.
The Federal Copyright Act





Section 3 – defines copyright in works
Section 6 – term of copyright
Section 27 – infringement of copyright
Section 34 – Civil remedies
Section 42 – Criminal remedies
DETECTION
Methods of Detection
 The
obvious: “I’ve seen that before.”
 The less obvious: requires some digging
 Enlist the help of TAs or GAs.
 Google: general search
 Google Scholar: advanced searches
 Turnitin.com
Using Turnitin.com
WHAT IT DOES:
 Scans three extensive databases




Current and archived Internet
Published works
Previously submitted papers
Indicates material that appears in other sources
 Provides an “Originality Report”
 Now capable of finding some paraphrasing
WHAT IT DOES NOT DO:

Evaluate whether plagiarism has occurred
 Prove that plagiarism has occurred
 Catch every instance of copied material
Compare . . .
 Jack’s
paper produces an Originality
Report indicating 50% similarity to outside
sources
vs.
 Jill’s paper produces an Originality Report
indicating 10% similarity to outside
sources
Whose paper is likely plagiarized?
Why Use Turnitin.com?
 To
promote originality in student work
 To deter students from plagiarizing
 To impress upon students the importance
of academic integrity
 To improve student research and writing
skills
 To save time in detecting offences
How to Get Started
1. Contact Mat Chandler, IT Services, to set
up an instructor account.

Ext. 2768, mchandle@uwindsor.ca
2. Receive an email from Turnitin’s Help
Desk:


Instructions on how to login
Temporary password
3. Download these sources from the “Training”
link on the Turnitin website.


Instructor Quick Start Guide
Instructor Manual
4. Be sure to consult Senate Policy T1: Policy
on the Use of Turnitin


Rules for its use in your course
Sample Syllabus Statement
RESPONSE
The Professor’s Response
 Meet
with the student (optional).
 Discuss why the work is plagiarized.
 Re-visit the plagiarism policy, course
outline, or assignment instructions, as
necessary.
 Report the plagiarism to Dept. Head.
 Do not take it personally.
 Do not treat it too lightly.
Path of a Complaint
Academic Integrity Officer
(investigates; meets with all parties;
makes recommendations;
presents case if necessary.)
Vice-Provost, Students
(opens file; authorizes investigation)
Associate Dean
(assumes the complaint)
Dept. Head
(reviews case and forwards to A-D)
Professor
(determines offence and
provides the evidence)
Filing a Bylaw 31 Complaint

Did You Know?
 Tips for Faculty Members
 Memorandum Template
 Any questions:
Plagiarism in Graduate Education

Study by Brandy L. Usick, University of
Manitoba*

Purpose of Study: to examine how knowledge
about plagiarism is understood, communicated,
and influenced at the graduate level
*Presented at the Canadian Student Judicial Affairs 2007 Conference: “Cultivating an
Understanding of Plagiarism within Graduate Education,” Windsor, Ontario, March
29, 2007.
 Number





of research questions focusing on
Conceptualization of plagiarism
Expectations at the graduate level
Discrepancies re education about plagiarism
and handling of incidents at graduate level
Factors contributing to plagiarism
Practices and policies to more effectively
respond to plagiarism
Findings*
“Ambiguity about the application of the rules
 A new concept for international students
 Knowledge of plagiarism develops with
experience
 Contributing factors: competitiveness, time
pressure, lack of confidence, ignorance of the
rules”

*Usick, 2007
 “Intellectual


Property issues
Ownership of ideas where collaborative
research
Sharing vs. safeguarding work
 Expectations:
Grad students know what
plagiarism is and know how to avoid it.
 Not discussed within departments”
Policy Recommendations*
 In
some cases, educate rather than
discipline.
 Ensure consistent policies and
implementation of policies.
 Impose reasonable penalties.
 Develop time-efficient processes.
 Create a document re authorship and
intellectual property
* Usick, 2007
Educational Recommendations*
 “Discuss
A.I. with all grad students.
 Offer departmental sessions or
workshops.
 Understand that students from other
cultures will have varied understanding
about referencing.”
* Usick, 2007
Current Graduate Level
Challenges
 Searching
for plagiarism by grad students
 Drafts vs. Final Product: What is
acceptable?
 Extent of duties of supervisors re feedback
on plagiarism
 U of W “test case”
The “P” Word:
Preventing, Detecting, and
Responding to Plagiarism
Psychology Faculty Council
April 17, 2007
Questions? Comments?